Growing your own - is it worth it?

[Globaltruth]

If you grow peas have you tried the tall varieties? If not I can recommend them for maincrop use - better use of space, often decorative leaves and flowers and crop over a longer period; sometimes there can be pods drying at the bottom with new green edible pods at the top. At least 30 years ago I started growing Champion of England (among several others)on my allotment from seed from the Heritage Seed Library. They always did well although as the pigeons got to plague proportions and got crafty about attacking the plants it was necessary to put up quite substantial protection. After a few years several other plotholders were growing them as well. Several of the old boys remembered growing tall varieties, and everyone liked the taste of the peas, so I shared out saved seed and they then saved their own. It's good to see it has now got into the mainstream again, together with some of the others such as Ne Plus Ultra, Magnum Bonum, and Robinsons.
Another tall variety I still grow( I've had to give up the allotment so only space to grow one) is a large podded (long and wide) mangetout called Carouby de Mausanne. It has stunning pink and purple flowers and silver marbled foliage, so garden worthy in its own right, quite apart from the tasty pods which just keep coming, and no worries about finding pea moth grubs in the pods either because they are picked before the seeds develop.
You might like to try sweet peppers in your conservatory as well as tomatoes; there are mini and snack size varieties available which generally crop more quickly than the full size ones, and might be of interest to a foraging four year old?

I'll try some of those mangetout next year - thanks.
I'm having another disastrous year on the allotment, due to lack of water - there is no water source other than rain water barrels and there is just isn't enough in them.
All that seems to be doing well, moderately, are potatoes and, struggling, peas - I have gone for 2 varieties, Alderman [tall] and Nano [small]. I also have heavily fortified anti-pigeon/mice defenses. Fencing, netting, a local cat...
The nematode solution works well against slugs but not snails, that's fine - but it is so dry that neither of them are a problem. All in all it's a bit dire and I'm glad to have turned a lot of it over to fruit trees and wildflowers.

A quick mention of 2 current seed suppliers of repute and value - Seeds of Italy - not just seeds and Higgledy Garden - flowers only.



PS " Growing your own - is it worth it?" - currently thinking NO, after very many years of a definite YES

[gradus]

Hurst Green Shaft is reliable on our dry soils and the peas are excellent, it grows to around 3 feet.

[teamsaint]

Doing well here:

Potatoes ( I think, hard to tell !) Strawberries, Figs, garlic, Onions, Rhubarb.

Struggling so far…Tomatoes

Could go either way… courgettes…..raspberries( but quietly confident)

[Jonathan]

Our beans are doing well but we had to take an enforced break from the allotment due to a series of family emergencies. While we were away, some bastard stole our vegimesh, our membrane, strimmed our raspberry canes to the ground, stole our leeks and probably some of our Rhubarb. Lastly, they put weed killer on part of our plot.

I've reported it to the person in charge (we don't have a committee) and mysteriously, a couple of days later, the vegimesh was returned. I think they thought we'd given up but, if they thought that, he should have tried to contact us. I rang him again last night but I'm not confident they'll be a reply.

[gradus]

Our beans are doing well but we had to take an enforced break from the allotment due to a series of family emergencies. While we were away, some bastard stole our vegimesh, our membrane, strimmed our raspberry canes to the ground, stole our leeks and probably some of our Rhubarb. Lastly, they put weed killer on part of our plot.

I've reported it to the person in charge (we don't have a committee) and mysteriously, a couple of days later, the vegimesh was returned. I think they thought we'd given up but, if they thought that, he should have tried to contact us. I rang him again last night but I'm not confident they'll be a reply.

Garden tool thefts from our allotment field stopped a few years ago, as have rabbit, badger and deer attacks but I share your annoyance as I've had vegetables stolen in the past; losing some really nice onions was particularly galling.

[gurnemanz]

Our beans are doing well but we had to take an enforced break from the allotment due to a series of family emergencies. While we were away, some bastard stole our vegimesh, our membrane, strimmed our raspberry canes to the ground, stole our leeks and probably some of our Rhubarb. Lastly, they put weed killer on part of our plot.

I've reported it to the person in charge (we don't have a committee) and mysteriously, a couple of days later, the vegimesh was returned. I think they thought we'd given up but, if they thought that, he should have tried to contact us. I rang him again last night but I'm not confident they'll be a reply.

Sorry to hear about this wanton damage.

I went for Suttons Colourful Climbing Mix beans this year. 3 varieties: purple Carminat, green Monte Cristo, yellow Monte Gusto. Looking OK but not climbing yet. Courgettes and tomatoes also slow - no greenhouse. Potatoes seem OK - some gaps.

Loganberries look like being prolific.

[Jonathan]

Thanks all. I found out it was the officious person in charge who said "the allotment looked a bit of a mess" and tidied it up without our permission. I had a conversation with him on the phone this morning

[french frank]

Thanks all. I found out it was the officious person in charge who said "the allotment looked a bit of a mess" and tidied it up without our permission. I had a conversation with him on the phone this morning

Send him a bill for the damage and loss of produce.

(Just realised this isn't the beard thread)

[gradus]

Thanks all. I found out it was the officious person in charge who said "the allotment looked a bit of a mess" and tidied it up without our permission. I had a conversation with him on the phone this morning

Fortunately our allotments are more anarchist collective than Committee, although our nearest 'well-run' allotments are extremely tidy and have an excellent and cheap shop for garden essentials. They also take action against those who let things go a bit.

[JasonPalmer]

After a lot of experimenting i focus on a large crop of strawberries,raspberries,blueberries that my son can forage and we also make jam. Wife is also growing some tomatoes in our new greenhouse. I doubt its cheaper than buying but is fun and gives us some time in the gardening when tendering to and watering.